Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation

Document Type

Degree Name

Department

Degree Program

Computer Science, MS

Committee Chair

Yampolskiy, Roman

Committee Co-Chair (if applicable)

Depue, Brendan

Committee Member

Imam, Ibrahim

Author's Keywords

neuroimaging; machine learning

Abstract

This study analyzed fMRI responses to fear and anxiety using a Multi Variate Pattern Analysis (MVPA) approach. Compared to conventional univariate methods which only represent regions of activation, MVPA provides us with more detailed patterns of voxels. We successfully found different patterns for fear and anxiety through separate classification attempts in each subject’s representational space. Further, we transformed all the individual models into a standard space to do group analysis. Results showed that subjects share a more common fear response. Also, the amygdala and hippocampus areas are more important for differentiating fear than anxiety.